Non-affiliated buses for sale - thread

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

are you guys thinking that BGA in hudson is not a good place to get a bus? I really like them there and all the things they do.. from the pics I see of most of their units they look like they are pretty good busses...

is there something im not seeing?
-Christopher

I've seen several buses from BGA. They're ok, but they're literally 2-3x the price of anywhere else I've found to buy used school buses. Don't let the "RV" retitle be a selling point. That costs zero dollars and five minutes to do yourself.
They technically are breaking the law by titling school buses as rv's and selling them. They're totally exploiting the fact that all it takes is signing an affadavit. They're actually lying by selling them as RV titles as all they do is yank the seats out.

[dgorila1]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I've seen several buses from BGA. They're ok, but they're literally 2-3x the price of anywhere else I've found to buy used school buses. Don't the "RV" retitle be a selling point. That costs zero dollars and five minutes to do yourself.
They technically are breaking the law by titling school buses as rv's and selling them. They're totally exploiting the fact that all it takes is signing an affadavit. They're actually lying by selling them as RV titles as all they do is yank the seats out.

FL in much more lenient on retitling to an rv than many other states. In VA the bus has to be converted first, then you make an appoint with the DMV Officer and they come out to inspect the bus. If it meets their satisfaction (I haven't found any info yet on an inspection list, so it may be totally subjective on the Officer...not sure), then they'll approve the title change to a "special construction vehicle". I plan on just registering the one I get as a private vehicle and leave it at that. No CDL required since it will be non-commercial.

[Pshots]

1990 Bluebird 40 Foot Rear Engine Pusher School Bus or RV with Big CUMMINS8 3 | eBay

1990 Bluebird RE with Cummins,
No Reserve on eBay
in Southern California
ends in 6 days

[opus]

Although, the bus is totally driveable, a tiny piece of the turbo is said to have gotten into the engine intake and passed through a valve into one cylinder. Not enough to break or bend anything. Just enough to clack when it's running. So the cylinder head needs to come off so you can lift that little chip off the top of the piston.

"Just clack a little"...LOL!

[dgorila1]

Originally Posted by opus

"Just clack a little"...LOL!

Try your luck in Vegas, the odds of winning there are better than the chance of that "tiny piece" damaging the cylinder. And the price of scrap is real low right now, unless it's scrap gold.

[FlyboyHPD]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I've seen several buses from BGA. They're ok, but they're literally 2-3x the price of anywhere else I've found to buy used school buses. Don't let the "RV" retitle be a selling point. That costs zero dollars and five minutes to do yourself.

No offense EastCoast but your statement about taking 5 minutes is not realistic at all. I'd be willing to bet that each state has different re-titling requirements that may need to be met by the owner that may or may not cost money to do so. Also taking the time off from work during the week and driving to the nearest DMV will take more than 5 minutes unless it's across the street from where you live. Not to mention the time you'll have to wait in line in the hopes that you have all the required paperwork and proof to complete the process the first time. I get paid by the hour and the time and money it would cost me to do it is way over what I'm paying BGA to do it for me. So to me it's a huge selling point. Just my 2 cents. Your mileage may vary .

[EastCoastCB]

Nope it IS realistic... it takes LESS than 5 minutes to "retitle" as an RV in FL. Granted, you have to go to the tag office, but it beats paying several THOUSAND dollars more for a bus that's sat on their lot for a year.
Lok, someone asked about BGA, BGA is near me. I've worked on at least one bus from BGA. If you're rich as hell and know nothing about buses its the place for you, like any dealer will be. Anyone that knows about buses at all can do much better than BGA.

All it takes is the title and they'll even provide the affadavit for you to sign saying it has a stove, bathroom, etc. BGA jsut sign that affadavit and say its all done. THat's not even legal man.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Nope it IS realistic... it takes LESS than 5 minutes to "retitle" as an RV in FL. Granted, you have to go to the tag office, but it beats paying several THOUSAND dollars more for a bus that's sat on their lot for a year.
Lok, someone asked about BGA, BGA is near me. I've worked on at least one bus from BGA. If you're rich as hell and know nothing about buses its the place for you, like any dealer will be. Anyone that knows about buses at all can do much better than BGA.

All it takes is the title and they'll even provide the affadavit for you to sign saying it has a stove, bathroom, etc. BGA jsut sign that affadavit and say its all done. THat's not even legal man.

every state is different in that respect.. some states its as simple as signing the affadavit and going on your way... others it looks much more complex.. also every state seems to have different rules when it comes to ownership of a bus.. converted or not...

in ohio it simply has to habve provisions for cooking, sleeping and refrigeration.. (and has to have the school masrkings removed and be painted) judging from what I see in everyday life in ohio.. they must not ever enforce or stop anyone.. because I find PLENTY of School busses that are simply painted over, titled as RV's with still all of their seats.. go to any Buckeye Game in the fall and they are everywhere.. some states i hear make you bring your bus in for yearly inspections...

BGA does things like paint, install A/C, remove or add seats ,etc.. my main thing though is am I getting a good bus? and in some regards I see prices for busses vary WILDLY from dealer to dealer and from individual to individual...

for example... one site had a couple 2006 IC bus diesel BE series with 80k miles for $7000 while another site has a similar bus at similar mileage for $11,000 .. appear to be same options,. boith state busses are in good order, good tires, etc.. yet why the huge spread? 4k is a big spread..

-Christopher

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

every state is different in that respect.. some states its as simple as signing the affadavit and going on your way... others it looks much more complex.. also every state seems to have different rules when it comes to ownership of a bus.. converted or not...

in ohio it simply has to habve provisions for cooking, sleeping and refrigeration.. (and has to have the school masrkings removed and be painted) judging from what I see in everyday life in ohio.. they must not ever enforce or stop anyone.. because I find PLENTY of School busses that are simply painted over, titled as RV's with still all of their seats.. go to any Buckeye Game in the fall and they are everywhere.. some states i hear make you bring your bus in for yearly inspections...

BGA does things like paint, install A/C, remove or add seats ,etc.. my main thing though is am I getting a good bus? and in some regards I see prices for busses vary WILDLY from dealer to dealer and from individual to individual...

for example... one site had a couple 2006 IC bus diesel BE series with 80k miles for $7000 while another site has a similar bus at similar mileage for $11,000 .. appear to be same options,. boith state busses are in good order, good tires, etc.. yet why the huge spread? 4k is a big spread..

-Christopher

Agreed, but I'm specifically speaking of FL.

Buying at a dealer isn't any better than buying from anywhere. Its just more expensive.
I'm not really trying to start a war, and all you folks on here are great.
I'm very opinionated especially when it comes to buying things.

My bus is gutted, I can title it as an RV and paint it any color someone wants...

Gimme ten grand for it and I'll even deliver it.
Then I'll buy three more buses. Boom I'm a CL bus dealer.

[luza]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Agreed, but I'm specifically speaking of FL.

Buying at a dealer isn't any better than buying from anywhere. Its just more expensive.
I'm not really trying to start a war, and all you folks on here are great.
I'm very opinionated especially when it comes to buying things.

My bus is gutted, I can title it as an RV and paint it any color someone wants...

Gimme ten grand for it and I'll even deliver it.
Then I'll buy three more buses. Boom I'm a CL bus dealer.

Heh...If you've got a gutted bus in good shape with an rv title, and will deliver it to the midwest, I'll gladly buy it. Maybe not for 10 grand, but I'll definitely pay more for someone to do those first steps for me - it would take me MUCH longer than someone like yourself who knows what you're doing.

It all depends on the resources we have or don't. Some have less money, but more time and expertise. Some have a little more money, but not enough time.

[EastCoastCB]

I hear that.

IDK, I've only had a couple buses myself and worked on a couple more.
I took out almost all the rivets on a Bluebird's ceiling recently in about two hours.

I don't care where anyone buys their bus, I just hate to see folks pay a ton for em when its not necessary. Paying twice the price to save a couple weekends of sweating doesn't seem too "skoolie" to me, but to each their own.

My friend Sheila's bus came from BGA. Its a really nice bus. I do think it cost her about twice what it was worth, though.

[dgorila1]

Will the bus dealers sometimes work with you to replace certain items such as worn tires with a better set and do a routine maintenance if needed and requested/negotiated as part of the purchase process.
I'm not talking about adding cost to the final price since the markup is double or more what they bought the bus for, I'm talking about them possibly swapping the wheels from another bus that are in better condition and other minor "concessions" as part of the purchase agreement. Has anyone had any experience with this in the purchase process?

[buscrazysteven]

Greetings all. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Steven and i work for a used bus dealership in upstate NY. I have a wide variety of quality used buses for sale at exceptional prices. If i can be assistance to anybody helping you find the perfect bus for your needs please contact me Hope to hear from all of you soon.!!!!

[luza]

[QUOTE=My bus is gutted, I can title it as an RV and paint it any color someone wants...

Gimme ten grand for it and I'll even deliver it.
Then I'll buy three more buses. Boom I'm a CL bus dealer.[/QUOTE]

alright, well then here's an idea:

EastCoast, and some of the other "big guys" of this site - why don't you become "dealers" of sorts? Those of us (like myself) who would love to own a great bus but are overly cautious because of our lack of knowledge/experience would trust your judgment over those of unknown entities.

I'm not suggesting you open a dealership or anything - I'm just suggesting you use your expertise to buy good buses, alter them if needed, and charge a fair price to people like me - That way, I know I'm not getting screwed over, and you maintain and build your reputation of "expert."

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by luza

Heh...If you've got a gutted bus in good shape with an rv title, and will deliver it to the midwest, I'll gladly buy it. Maybe not for 10 grand, but I'll definitely pay more for someone to do those first steps for me - it would take me MUCH longer than someone like yourself who knows what you're doing.

It all depends on the resources we have or don't. Some have less money, but more time and expertise. Some have a little more money, but not enough time.

im in that boat.. and for me a dealer can do the things I cannot.. ie PAINT a bus to be compliant with the laws.. I simply dont have the facilities to do a NICE paint job on my bus...

I also HATE paperwork so a dealer that will title it , and register it, and send me on my way is worth some $$..

everyone here is different... like has been mentioned some have more $$ than others.. while I dont want to get completely hosed on price.. im willing to spend a little more to get some good services and also get a good unit..

I also dont want a scheister dealer thats going to sell me a Bus that will fly apart in pieces on my way home lol!...

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by luza

alright, well then here's an idea:

EastCoast, and some of the other "big guys" of this site - why don't you become "dealers" of sorts? Those of us (like myself) who would love to own a great bus but are overly cautious because of our lack of knowledge/experience would trust your judgment over those of unknown entities.

I'm not suggesting you open a dealership or anything - I'm just suggesting you use your expertise to buy good buses, alter them if needed, and charge a fair price to people like me - That way, I know I'm not getting screwed over, and you maintain and build your reputation of "expert."

I'm really not egotistical... And am definitely not an expert on anything.

That said, I'm trying to buy an acre outside town where no one can stop me from keeping a few buses. ;)
I've helped at least a few friends now in finding their buses and I do love buses.
I haven't had reliable work or income since losing my job of 12 years a couple years ago so the temptation to sell buses has been there for me for a while now.
Unfortunately I don't have anywhere to keep any more than one bus currently, and even the one bus pisses off my landlord. Free rent for one bus is hard to argue with though.
I've been tempted to try and sell my bus and try to make a couple thousand bucks, but I've poured hundreds of hours into the BS tar on the underside of the roof and I'm kinda in love with the bus now. Air ride, ABS, good gearing and an all mechanical engine are hard to beat.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by luza

alright, well then here's an idea:

EastCoast, and some of the other "big guys" of this site - why don't you become "dealers" of sorts? Those of us (like myself) who would love to own a great bus but are overly cautious because of our lack of knowledge/experience would trust your judgment over those of unknown entities.

I'm not suggesting you open a dealership or anything - I'm just suggesting you use your expertise to buy good buses, alter them if needed, and charge a fair price to people like me - That way, I know I'm not getting screwed over, and you maintain and build your reputation of "expert."

buying a bus is like buying a car.. you can work with and negotiate with a dealer just like a car.. some dealers that sell their busses at high margin may be more willing to toss things in the deal... the way I look at it is.. the worst they can say is No...

if you are buying your bus at an auction site ten the winning bid is what you pay... and usually auction sites are much less forgiving about you getting your new purchase removed from their location quickly. its Bid-Pay-Leave whereas a dealer will usually work with you on a timeline to get it. (BGA you can put your bus in layaway to hold it until you are ready for it.. )...

if you dont try to negotiate, the dealer will not as they know you'll pay window price and go..

a dealer wont tell you "sorry I wont accept your deal now get lost".. which means if they say no to your offer.. you can always pay window price.. they will always sell it to you..


the more services you have a dealer perform the more likely you are to be able to negotiate a price.. dealers love to package things together... some items are sold at higher margin than others so when you buy multiples you can usually get other things in the deal..

ie if you buy a bus, have the dealer paint it, title it, remove the stop signs and flashers, you very well may be able to convince them to toss a couple tires in the deal at no or very reduced charge...

-Christopher

[cadillackid]

Now that I actually Visited BGA lot.. (and bought a bus today)... I learned a lot more about them...

these guys dont just buy a bus at auction and throw it out there.. they do quite a bit of work on them too.. to get them ready...

there were several that they were fixing stairwell rust.. putting lights in them etc.. even before they are sold or placed on hold.. just to make the bus nicer..

they are a pretty much Full Service operation... if you are someone like myself that has no ability to do body work... they are VERY REASONABLE on pricing compared to body shops and pther bus dealers I have called...

my paint job is costing 1/2 if not less than what it would to go elsewhere.. and seeing their work, it looks pretty darn good!.. is it 100 point show car paint? no, but it surely makes your bus look great and they do a lot of prep work....

Greg will spend the necessary time with you to educate you and listen to what you have to say... we spend yesterday afternoon and today afternoon looking at many many busses.. starting them , talking about them crawling around in them... etc.. comparing them... so if I had a question about how steering should feel on a bus.. he took me to 15 different bussesand had me feel the steering...

he let me look at and take pictures of every air conditioner i saw i every bus to get ideas about how I will air condition mine...

if you are the type of person that needs to have service work done or body work done because you cannot or dont want to do it yourself.. they can and will do it... if you are looking for the cheapest bus out there... then you wont want to go there...

it all depends on your time, money, and abilities... for me it was a perfect fit... as is also the little 91 carpenter I bought today... I wanted a Nice older bus.. and thats what I got.. im sure some will say that a DT360 / allison 545 isnt the greatest... however its a mechanical engine / everyday trans I can work on.. (the DT360 is a pretty fresh Jasper)..

the fact you can put a bus on hold via telephone if you are out of town is a great thing.. many dealers wont allow this... my bus was getting a lot of attention.. therefore i put it on hold and it took me a week to get there.. i knew it wouldnt go anywhere... .. thats a nicd feature about some dealerships..

did I get the cheapest bus? NO
did I get what I think is a reliable Bus? YES (in fact its coming 'home' as it was recently driven from ohio to tampa... so its road worthy...)

i feel like my overall VALUE is high..

everyone's idea of Value is different... in my case im not doing a massive conversion so the fact my bus has a nice interior and good floors is a big plus...
-Christopher

[johnbloem1974]

Congrats on your buy! It all comes down to what YOU are happy with. Its your bus and no one else's! Sounds like you are happy with the value you got... way to go! Have fun with your bus. We've been having a blast with ours...as others will say too, please keep us updated on your progress with plenty of pics!

John

[dgorila1]

Awesome, congrats!